Astro Flight Glow and Electric Model Kits

Roland Boucher’s Fournier RF-4

Roland Boucher’s 1/6 scale model of the Fournier RF-4 powered sailplane was designed for the OS max 0.15 glow engine. Later the kit was converted to electric power with installation of the Astro 15 super ferrite motor powered by a twelve cell 600 Mahr NiCad battery pack. Roland also entered his RF-4 in LSF scale sailplane contests meets by removing the propeller. In 1971 Roland built an electric version of his RF-4 powered by an Astro 25 Ferrite motor and a special Silver-Zinc battery to set three world records: distance in a closed course, speed and duration.

Astro Electra Fly Electric Sport Model

The Electra Fly was the first electric sport model kitted by Astro Flight. Designed by Bob Boucher and Dave Shadel in the summer of 1973 for the Astro 10 Super Ferrite motor, it was powered by an eight cell 600 mahr NiCad battery pack. It could do simple aerobatic maneuvers, like loops, rudder rolls and Immelmanns. The wing is span 38 inches, wing area 300 square inches, and weight 40 ounces. The airfoil is an Eppler 374.

Roland’s Electra 225 Electric Aerobatic Pattern Model

Roland Boucher designed the Astro Electra 225 as a true aerobatic pattern model with a wing design similar to the Stormer with its NACA 2215 airfol. The Electra 225 was powered by twin Astro 25 Super ferrite motors and an 18 cell 1200mahr Nicad pack. It was truly the world’s first true electric pattern model. In 1973 we entered three of our electric models in an FAI speed trial. The Electra was clocked at 101 mph. With today’s brushless motors and Lithium battery packs speeds of up to 150 mph can be expected. Wing span is 72 inches, Length is 50 inches, the wing area is 720 square inches and total all up weight of 10 lbs.

Genevieve Morris holds Bob’s Electra-225

Michele with my Partenavia P-68 Victor

My teen age daughter Michele looks kind of bored waiting for the battery to charge on my Partenavia P-69 Victor. The model was powered by two Astro 05 ferrite motors and an eight cell Sanyo 1200 mahr Nicad battery. The wing span is 49 inches, the wing area 388 square inches and all up weight 3-3/4 pounds. The black box on the hood is an early version of the Astro 15 minute Nicad battery charger. In 1975 there were no electronic speed controls. I used a pair of micro-switches and a servo to give me both hi-lo-off on each motor. For scale points I turned one motor off to simulate “Feathering one prop”. My twin engine P-38 finished second behind Jack Stafford’s four engine B-24 at a scale contest in Tucson AZ.

The one eight scale Astro Gee Bee Model D

I designed this one eight scale Gee Bee model D for our popular ferrite 05 motor. Because the airplane is so short coupled the CG needs to be set a 25% chord and no father aft or the model is very squirrelly to fly. The wing span is 37 inches, length 26 inches and all up weight about 38 ounces. With the newer Brushless motors and Lithium batteries the model would today be much easier to fly.

The one twelfth scale Curtiss Wright Jr.

Designed and built by Phil Bernhardt this 05 size Curtiss Wright Jr flew like a powered glider and was a real pussycat to fly. Wing Span is 39.5 inches, wing area 176 square inches, length 21.5 inches and flying weight 30 ounces. The Curtiss Wright Jr. was powered by an Astro 05 ferrite motor and an eight cell 600 Mahr Nicad battery pack. Phil entered the model in a number of scale electric contest including our Astro Champs at Mile Square Field.

The one eight scale Velie Monocoupe

Bob’s one eight scale Velie Monocoupe is modeled in green depicting Bob Cummings’ famous Spinach. The original Spinach, then owned by a drummer in the Jazz Babies band was still flying in the winter of 1980, visited our Solar Challenger team during flight tests at Marana Air Park airfield near Tucson Arizona. Bob’s model became an Astro Flight kit designed for the Astro 05 ferrite motor and an eight cell 600 mahr Nicad battery. Wing Span is 45 inches, length 30 inches and flying weight two pounds.

Michele Boucher just loves Papa’s Monocoupe

Astro Sport R/C Electric

Bob’s Astro Sport was originally designed to be powered by an Astro 05 motor and an eight cell 600 Mahr Nicad battery pack. The wing span is three feet and the model weighs 36 ounces. With modern brushless motors and Lithium batteries the Sport would shed half its weigh and come in at about 18 ounces and would be a real pussy cat to fly.

The Porterfield Collegiate

Bob designed this 1/6 scale Porterfield Collegiate Astro electric model kit for the Astro 25 Cobalt Geared Motor swinging a 12x8 prop at 7000 Rpm. The Porterfield has a wing span of 69 inches and a wing area of 612 sq. in. and weighs in at 5 pounds with a three or four channel radio. With REM (rudder–elevator-motor) control she can do gentle aerobatics like loops, snap rolls and Immelmanns. The big 12 inch prop lets you throttle back and shoot touch and go landings for 15 minute on the twelve cell 1400 Mahr Nicad pack. With new Astro brushless motors, Lithium batteries and light weight radio control systems the weight will drop to a little over 2 pounds and the duration should increase to over 30 minutes on a single charge.

Bob Sliff with his Quarter Scale Monocoupe

Bob built his Monocoupe from the Astro Flight kit.

Bob Boucher’s Quarter Scale Monocoupe

Bob Boucher designed and built this Quarter Scale of Bob Cummings Velie Monocoupe Spinach. The model became an Astro Flight Kit and was designed to be powered by a Super Ferrite 40 motor with belt reduction and eighteen 1200 Mahr Nicads. Flying weight with a four channel radio is about nine pounds. Wing span is eight feet and wing area eight square feet so the wing loading is very modest. Today with brushless motors and Lithium batteries the weight would almost be reduced by half.